IShinPo a Spring Fertility Festival spinoff
by jeffs
Summary: Spring fertility Festival spinoff. The boys discover Keade's medical book on sex. ch2. the girls react! rated for sexual situations
1. Default Chapter

I-Shin-Po  
  
I do not own any of the characters in this story.  
  
Spring fertility festival spin-off.  
  
This takes place a couple of weeks to a month after the spring festival. Enough time has pasted that things are back to normal, basically. Although . . . thoughts about sex are more common than normal . . .   
  
Rated R. Sex is discussed in this story. You are warned . . .   
  
Having an understanding of my story "Why Miroku is a pervert?" could be useful.  
  
{quotes from my source}  
  
______________________  
  
"Shit . . . this is boring." Inu-yasha says in disgust. He is in the upper branches of a tree.   
  
  
  
Kagome, Shippo and Keade are below him as he moves from tree to tree. Keade is showing Kagome various plants and telling her about them. Shippo, of course, is following Kagome.  
  
He thinks, 'After that last rumor, and going there was a waste of time, I've heard nothing in the last week. Staying around here makes me feels so useless.'  
  
"What the fuck, else is there to do?" he talks to himself.  
  
He can hear Sango doing her weapon practice off in the distance. 'The monk's probably watching her. I wonder if he'll ever get the courage to ask her to spar with him. He could use the hand to hand practice.' Inu-yasha's face twists, 'everybody will be busy for a couple of hours, at least. Boring, fucking, day . . . '  
  
His head twists and he looks closer at Kagome and Keade. 'Those two and their medicines . . . Hmmm . . . I wonder. They'll be busy and Keade's hut is empty. I did not like being shut out when the girls were talking about sex after the festival. Kagome brought those books and things from her side of the well. I know that's its women's things, but . . . I'm curious.'  
  
He looks around, 'I can go back, find them, and read them. Then, I'll know.' He growls and says, "I don't like it when people have secrets around me."  
  
'Hmmm . . . It's been quiet, lately. And Shippo and Keade are with her. Sango and Kirara are just a yell away. I can go, then.' Inu-yasha, suddenly, nods his head and begins to move quickly, but quietly back to the village.   
  
When he's about halfway there, he suddenly stops. "Fuck. I'll need the monk."  
  
'I remember when Kagome tried to tell me what everything in her first aid box can do. She keeps using words I've never heard of. And when she shoved that book in my face, there were words and symbols, that I've never seen. The monk should know what they mean.'  
  
"How do I get him to come back with me?" He says to himself. He scratches his head, carefully avoiding his ears. "Make up some story? What?"  
  
'Hmmm . . . I wonder if he is curious about what the girls were talking about. Idiot! Of course, he'll be curious, this is girls we're talking about!' he thinks as he punches the side of his head in disgust.  
  
"So, sneak up and tell him what I'm doing, and he'll go along." He smiles, turns around and heads to where Sango is practicing. Miroku will be around there, somewhere.  
  
'Hell, now that I think about, he made some sort of suggestion like this a couple of nights ago, but I ignored him.' He thinks as he jumps from tree to tree.  
  
Inu-yasha spots the monk behind a tree, obviously admiring Sango's form, and not her weapon form . . .   
  
Inu-yasha covers Miroku's mouth, grabs him by the neck and drags him into the trees.  
  
Sango hears the rustle of the leaves, twists around and says, "What? Miroku?" She looks at Kirara. Kirara shrugs.  
  
After a few jumps, Inu-yasha lands in a clearing.  
  
"What! Inu-yasha! Why!" Miroku sputters as Inu-yasha removes his hand.  
  
"Monk." Inu-yasha growls, "The girls are always going on that they need to know about everything right?"  
  
Miroku raises his eyebrow, "I suppose, Inu-yasha. They are naturally curious."  
  
"The bitch is always going on that in case something goes wrong, everyone should know how to use the medicines in her box, right?"  
  
"Yes. It has come in handy."  
  
"Yes, and, she brought more medicines and books recently, but she's not shown them to us, boys, right?" Inu-yasha grins.  
  
Miroku rubs his chin, "Yes, she has brought more recently. And, if something should happen, it would be helpful, if we knew what was in them, I suppose."  
  
Inu-yasha pats Miroku on the back. "You've got it. And the girls will be busy for the next couple of hours. Plenty of time." He grins.   
  
'Do I ask, why he told me? It would be like him to just grab the books and for him not tell anyone. Wait . . . books . . . ' Miroku grins. 'I wonder how he'll get me to read them, since he cannot.'  
  
"Jump on, Monk." Inu-yasha commands.   
  
The two boys, via Inu-yasha express, quickly reach the village and enter Keade's hut. The villagers ignore them. They are used to Inu-yasha and Miroku entering that hut at odd times and sometimes alone.  
  
"Now, where is it . . . " Inu-yasha whispers in a low voice as Miroku and he start to search Keade's hut.  
  
After a while, Inu-yasha whispers exaltedly, "Found it!" He holds up a scroll in one hand and the in the other a modern appearing book.  
  
'Now, let's see what he does.' Miroku thinks. He stands back with his arms crossed. He, obviously, is waiting for Inu-yasha to make the first move.  
  
'Fuck . . . I was hoping he'd ask for them. Now . . . ' Inu-yasha thinks. 'Maybe, I can find something . . . ' He opens the scroll.  
  
What he sees when he opens the scroll, causes him to drop the book and to fully open up the scroll. He wolf whistles. The modern book lays, unread, and forgotten about in its location at his feet.  
  
Miroku, quickly, moves behind Inu-yasha and looks over his shoulder. "Ahhh . . . A medical manual." He grins, "the chapter on sex."  
  
The picture on the scroll, which caught Inu-yasha's attention, is a very detailed drawing of a woman's secret place between her legs.  
  
"This is from this time . . . I didn't know that there was something like this . . . " Inu-yasha whispers.  
  
"Oh, yes, manuals about sex are known. Most are copies of the chapter about sex in I-Shin-Po." Miroku looks closely at the symbols, "Yes, This looks like I-Shin-Po. Oddly though, this copy has been translated into Japanese. Which is probably why Keade has it. I'm sure that she, like most women, does not understand Chinese." Miroku says knowingly, "I wonder how she acquired it?"  
  
"I-Shin-Po?" Inu-yasha whispers.  
  
Miroku grins and thinks, 'I'd be willing to bet, he doesn't even know he said anything.'  
  
"I-Shin-Po, Inu-yasha, is the standard medical textbook. It was written about 500 years ago. Thirty chapters, total. This scroll is the chapter on sex." Miroku pauses, "I've read this chapter in Chinese. It'll be interesting to see how accurately it's been translated. Tamba Yasuyori combined more than 200 different Chinese medical texts into one text. Very well known. I wouldn't have expected a copy in a small village like this, but." He shrugs.  
  
Inu-yasha starts to read the manual.  
  
{"Of all the ten thousand things created by Heaven, man is the most precious. Of all the things that make man prospers none can be comparted to sexual intercourse. It is modeled after heaven and takes its pattern by Earth; it regulates yin and yang. Those who understand its significance can nurture their nature and prolong their years; those who miss its true meaning will harm themselves and die before their time" direct quote of the opening paragraph of the manual Art of the Bedchamber. By Li Tung-Hsuan in the mid-seventh century}  
  
Inu-yasha is using his forefinger to mark his place as he reads. With that as an indicator, Miroku can see Inu-yasha, hesitant, go back and reread a couple of symbols.  
  
"Hmm. Inu-yasha, Please, understand, I'm not criticizing you, but." Miroku starts to say. "I'm given to understand that your education in." He bites his lips, but continues, "civilized things are lacking."  
  
Inu-yasha looks at Miroku and growls, "Are you calling me a barbarian?"  
  
"No, Inu-yasha. Of course not. However, since your mother's death, have you had a teacher?"  
  
Inu-yasha grimaces, "No, not really." He sighs, "I tried a couple of times, but things would go wrong. Kikyo keep talking about teaching me, but things keep happening." He says in a low voice.  
  
"Let me read it out loud then, Inu-yasha." Miroku gently says, "While I'm sure that you can read it, we don't have all that much time, and I can read it faster than you."  
  
Inu-yasha growls and with visible reluctance hands Miroku the scroll. 'Great! I didn't have to ask him. He volunteered.' Inside his mind, Inu-yasha smiles.  
  
'Sigh . . . I suppose I should have waited until he begged me. But, he was going to take all day . . . ' Miroku thinks.  
  
Inu-yasha ears twitch. Someone is walking by outside the hut. 'Fuck, just a kid. I hate villages. There are so many people walking around. I can't concentrate on what's happening outside and still pay attention to what's happening inside. Fuck.' He growls.  
  
"Inu-yasha?" Miroku wonders about that growl.  
  
"Feh, go on."  
  
"Now . . . what is on this scroll . . . " Miroku opens the scroll and scans it. "Ahh . . . where is the start of the chapter . . . "  
  
"Fuck that, Monk. Read." Inu-yasha growls in Miroku's ear as he is looking at the scroll over the monk's shoulder.  
  
"First, Inu-yasha, Let me go over a couple of basic things. This scroll assumes the reader knows so basic facts. But, with your limited education." Inu-yasha growls in warning.   
  
"Inu-yasha," Miroku says with a hint of surprise in his voice. "Given all the times Kagome or myself have had to apologize for you, I thought you were proud of your lack of culture. Now, however, you're angry when I try to praise your lack of culture?"  
  
"Feh" Inu-yasha grunts. "Continue"  
  
"As I was saying, before I rudely interrupted." Another low growl from Inu-yasha sounds in the background.  
  
  
  
"Some basics then: Men have Yang. Women have Yin."   
  
"I know that, idiot."  
  
"Stop interrupting, Inu-yasha, so I can get back to the scroll."  
  
"Feh"  
  
"Now, Inu-yasha, where is the greatest concentration of maleness?"  
  
Inu-yasha points to a picture of a nude human male on the scroll. "Where else, you perverted monk, a prick."  
  
"And on a woman?"  
  
He moves his finger to a picture of a nude human female on the scroll. "Her cunt."  
  
"Good. When people have sex Yang and Yin is transferred between the sexes. You have to be careful how much Yang and Yin you have." He pauses.  
  
"Feh."  
  
"Too little Yang in a man, for instance, causes weakness, disease and finally death. Too much Yang on the hand, well, lets just say, I do wish to become a Buddha . . . "  
  
A pause as both males drool over a picture of a couple in position labeled Close union.  
  
Miroku starts to read the scroll in earnest.   
  
  
  
{With good health and longevity uppermost in mind, it seems, the Chinese advocated copulation several times with at least 10 women in a single night.}  
  
"Are you fucking sure that's what it says?!" Inu-yasha almost screams in Miroku's ear! "You're making that up, you perverted asshole!"  
  
"I am not! Inu-yasha!" Miroku points to the line in the scroll. "Read it yourself."  
  
"Well . . . fuck me . . . You're not making it up . . . " Inu-yasha mumbles.  
  
"Wrong, Inu-yasha, You're supposed to have sex with others, not yourself."  
  
"You don't seem that surprised to find this in here." Inu-yasha says with suspicion. 'This is simply too much like what he would say, I don't care if it's written down or not. I'm going to ask him some questions.' He thinks.  
  
"Oh, not really, I did say I've read this before, Inu-yasha? Remember?"  
  
"Feh."  
  
"Shall I continue?"  
  
"Feh"  
  
{The yellow emperor had intercourse with 1200 women and thereby became an immortal. Ordinary men have but one woman and that one suffices to make them perish.}  
  
"Shit . . . 1200." Inu-yasha glares at Miroku, "You really wish to become a Buddha, huh?"  
  
"Of course, doesn't everyone?"  
  
"Are you planning on telling Sango?"  
  
"If she asks, I have no difficulties in telling her the truth." Miroku pauses, coughs, "Of course, if she doesn't ask, I see no reason to tell her."  
  
  
  
Inu-yasha narrows his eyes, and he whispers. "But sex makes you die?"  
  
"There is an explanation further in the text, Inu-yasha."  
  
A pause as both males drool over a picture of a couple in position labeled Pair-eyed fish   
  
Inu-yasha's ears twitch, but he ignores them. There are too many people walking around outside for him to concentrate on the outside.  
  
{Constant intercourse with only one woman was believed to decrease her vital yin essence, causing her to waste away. Deprived of life-giving yin as a result, the man would weaken too and both would eventually die}  
  
  
  
"You see." Miroku says.  
  
"Shit . . . Is this true?" Inu-yasha looks at Miroku.   
  
Miroku shrugs. "It's true. That statement, with minor changes for syntax, appears in one form or another in every manual I read."  
  
{Yin was believed to turn into yang essence in the male stomach and if there was no yin, the essential chemical change was neutralized. Without Yang, he would whiter and die just as surely as he would if he was to leave his jade stalk inactive. Having it off repeatedly with 10 women in a single night sounds daunting, but there was a catch: one should as far as possible refrain from emitting semen.}  
  
"Jade stalk?"  
  
Miroku points to a picture on the scroll. His finger rests on the male genital. "Oh."  
  
"How in the fu. How, do you get Yin in your mouth so it can go to your stomach?" Inu-yasha asks.  
  
"Do you want my answer, or do you want to see if the manual answers that question?"  
  
"I don't want your answer."  
  
"Then, I'll continue."  
  
A pause as both males drool over a picture of a couple in position called, Wailing monkey embracing a tree.  
  
{Accumulating vital yin is important and it's strongly recommended taking it straight from the source. Cunnilingus was considered particularly beneficial.}  
  
"Why do you think I drank Sango's essence during the festival?"  
  
"Shit . . . I knew I should have. Next time."   
  
{Blocking ejaculation conserved the man's yang, even as his penis swam to and fro in the source of yin. Since there was every advantage in his obtaining even more yin than this, the sex handbooks strongly recommended a mans replenishing his supply by inhaling his partner's breath as she gasped her way. Kissing too is greatly emphasized as part of foreplay, for yin could be sucked from the woman's saliva as the couple tongues met or when the man nibbled her lower lip.}  
  
"So, breathe and kissing. I noticed you didn't do that with Sango."  
  
"She didn't want me to. I respected her wishes. I assume you did the same with Kagome?"  
  
"Feh."  
  
"Also, it's only implied in this manual, but in other manuals, a man also absorbs some yin through the male organ." Miroku adds. "But, acquiring it via other ways are very enjoyable." Miroku grins.  
  
Inu-yasha grins as well, remembering Kagome.  
  
Inu-yasha's ears twitch, but he ignores them  
  
  
  
A pause as both males drool over a picture of a couple in position marked Bamboos near the altar.  
  
{The more times one had sex without ejaculating, the greater the benefits to the health. Once, and the vital essence was strengthened: twice improved sight & hearing. Three cured all diseases and so on, until the diligent practitioner was that much closer to immortality.}  
  
"A standard statement."  
  
"Feh"  
  
{1 or 2 male orgasms in 10 copulation sessions was the generally accepted allowance.}  
  
Inu-yasha breaths out, "you mean you don't have it cum each time."  
  
Miroku, with humor in his voice, says, "You thought that it did?"  
  
"Grrrr"  
  
"No. This is standard." Miroku pauses, "basically the more times you have sex and do not ejaculate the better it is for you. The more women you have sex with the better it is for you."  
  
Inu-yasha's ears twitch, but he ignores them.  
  
"Of course, this text, like most emphasizes that you don't ejaculate."  
  
Inu-yasha, who hasn't been listening to the monk, says, "Shit, that means that emperor above."  
  
"All he did was stick it in 1200 different women in one night." Miroku grins. "Which is still a wonderful dream, no?"  
  
"Feh"  
  
A pause as both males drool over a picture of a couple in position indicated as Cat and mouse in one hole  
  
{Semen was primarily thought to nourish the brain by grinning and bearing his way through coitus, a man could reverse the flow of vital essence and send it to his head.}  
  
Inu-yasha stares, hard, at Miroku. 'If he says I'm dumb, I'll rip his prick off.' he thinks.  
  
Miroku stares at Inu-yasha. 'I'm not stupid, Inu-yasha. I'm not going to touch that.' He thinks.  
  
Inu-yasha eyes widen, "Feh . . . Does, that mean Sango is smarter than you, since she drank your semen?" he says with a nasty grin.  
  
Miroku eyes widen in surprise. "You know, Inu-yasha. I've never thought about it like that. Although, now that I think about it . . . Hmm . . . It could work that way. But exactly how a woman's body handles the yang essence . . . I don't remember any manual that goes into detail about that." He rubs his chin in thought. "Next time I'm at Mushin's temple. I'll have to research that."  
  
"You didn't answer my question, monk?"  
  
"I don't know, Inu-yasha. It seems possible, but sometimes a woman's body handles yang in odd ways, that much I do remember that from other manuals." A pause and he says, "Do I continue?"  
  
"Feh"  
  
{Obviously this did not apply to procreation, and in all cases the manuals generously emphasized female orgasm as an essential prerequisite for healthy sex, and advocated starving off the surge to await explosive abandon of a mutual climax.}  
  
"Ok."  
  
Miroku says, "Inu-yasha, you might not like the next statement."  
  
{The man must always first engage her in protracted gentle play to harmonize her mood with his and make her felling respond.}  
  
"Why? Monk?"  
  
Miroku rolls his eyes, "I saw the bandages on Kagome after the festival. That wasn't 'gentle play' you two did."  
  
"Fuck that, monk. I was gentle." Inu-yasha smiles. "And it applies both ways. She was gentle with me."  
  
A pause as both males drool over a picture of a couple in position called, Hounds of the ninth day of autumn.  
  
'I've got try this with Kagome' Inu-yasha thinks as he memorizes the picture. (Although, he's been memorizing all the positions, anyway . . . )  
  
"A list of ways to do it." Miroku says, glancing at Inu-yasha.  
  
"My instincts are always correct. I don't need no fancy positions."  
  
{One: pushing the jade stalk down and letting it move to and fro over the lute strings like a saw, as if one were prying open an oyster to obtain the previous pearl inside.}  
  
"Shit. What did it just say?"  
  
"Oh, like most manuals and most people, Inu-yasha, the sex act and sex organs are referred to in poetic descriptive terms, not the offensive words, like you use."  
  
"Grrr"  
  
"Ok, Inu-yasha here is some common terms, and these are used on this scroll. So: Lute string is female pubic hair. Jade gate is the vulva. A golden gate is the upper part of the vulva. The Jewel terrace is, and this very important, the clitoris. Jade veins are where labia meet beneath the vulva. Cinnabar cleft is the vagina. Jade stalk & positive peak are different words for the penis."  
  
"What the . . . "  
  
"Look Inu-yasha, I just read some more and It'll make sense."  
  
{Hitting with the jade stalk, the golden gully over the jade veins, as if one were cleaving stone to discover the jade kernel.}  
  
"Grrr"  
  
"Here I'll use the pictures to explain, Inu-yasha." Miroku points to various pictures in the scroll and points to various places. He uses the various name to describe the female and male genital.   
  
{Letting the positive peak hit against the jewel terrace, like an iron pestle descending into the medicine bowl.}  
  
"Huh, I bet you, Keade got this for that line." Inu-yasha grumbles.  
  
"I doubt it, Inu-yasha, this is the standard medical text. While there are other similar texts available, this is the reference that is used by the emperor's doctor."   
  
Inu-yasha's ears twitch, but he ignores them  
  
{Indiscriminate emission of semen was considered to do grievous harm. However, so many stokes, without emission, of the penis would be beneficial.}  
  
"This is totally correct, Inu-yasha." Miroku watches Inu-yasha as he speaks.  
  
Inu-yasha blushes, "I do not do that, you perverted fucking monk."  
  
Miroku raises his eyebrow. "Very well, Inu-yasha. But, should I read the number of strokes?"  
  
"Well . . . you're reading the rest of the scroll, why should you not read that."  
  
"Hmmm . . . some Taoist sex magic is added in here, as well."  
  
"Sex magic?"  
  
Miroku's eye's gleam, "Have you already forgotten what I told Kagome that time she asked about my beliefs?"  
  
Inu-yasha starts, and he says, "No. Forget I asked that."  
  
{Depending on the season, the couple would have to perform with their heads facing given cardinal points.}  
  
"That could get weird," Inu-yasha mumbles as he tries to picture how you'd do that position.  
  
"Yes, some positions do require some flexibility."  
  
{The horoscope proscribed sexual intercourse days}  
  
"There are some complex details about horoscopes here, Inu-yasha. I'm going to skip them. They're horribly detailed." Miroku sighs, "I really need to borrow this from Keade and cast my horoscope again."  
  
"Feh"  
  
{Medicines to shrink vagina size & increase penis size.}  
  
"Useful."  
  
"Feh." A pause. "How much can it increase?"  
  
"It depends on the medicine. But. I'll warn you, I've tried a few of these and have only had a slight increase."  
  
"Feh."  
  
{Bald chicken medicine.}  
  
"Do I want to know the story?" Inu-yasha asks.  
  
"It's about a rooster that rubs himself bald."  
  
"No."  
  
"Hmmm . . . a list of various plants, mushrooms, deer antlers. And various medicines that you can make. Keade has some notes on this part of the scroll." Miroku points to some symbols off to one side. They have clearly been added to the scroll.  
  
"Anything important?"  
  
"Not really, apparently she doesn't think too much of the female medicines. She's written some corrections."  
  
Miroku looks at Inu-yasha and purses his lips, 'do I read this line?' He pauses and then minutely shakes his head no.  
  
"hmm . . . another story here about an illicit affair between high priestess Saiko-jo and a guard at the Ise shrine."  
  
"Monk." Inu-yasha growls and he points at a line in the scroll. "I know that symbol is 'white dog' and you skipped it."   
  
Miroku moves the scroll so Inu-yasha can clearly see it and he says, "You can read it, Inu-yasha. I'm not going to."  
  
{White dog liver: one of the medical ingredients.}  
  
  
  
"Fuck!" Inu-yasha yells! 'Now I know why, all those years ago . . . ' he thinks angrily.  
  
He grabs at the scroll. But . . .   
  
"Sit, boy!"  
  
THUMP  
  
the girls are here . . .   
  
End chapter 1.  
  
Inu-yasha and his reading ability. Remember Inu-yasha's education has been sporadic at best. And Japanese is a language of thousands of different symbols. He's Ok with the standard day to day symbols, but, this is a medical textbook. It has symbols he's never seen. (A modern example, if you were to place a college level medical textbook in front of a high school student, how well would he read and understand the text? Oh, he'd probably be able to get through it, but it would take time and his understanding of the text might not be all that good.)  
  
  
  
Most of this story is page 130 to 135 in the book Pink Samurai: Love, Marriage & Sex in contemporary Japan. By Nicholas Bornoff.  
  
All the quotes are from those pages. I did in some cases make minor syntax changes. I did reorder some of the statements.  
  
Some things that I could not fit into the story . . .   
  
Japan borrowed a lot from China. Including sex manuals.   
  
Mid 7th century, (when the first quote was made) was about the time that Japan borrowed the Chinese constitution and used it as Japan's government. (That constitution wasn't changed until 1870's, FYI)  
  
In 982 Tamba Yasuyori wrote the manual I-Shin-Po. He combined Secret Recipes of the Plain Girl, Handbook of sex of the dark girl and Secret Prescription of the bedchamber along with 200+ more sources into a medical textbook.  
  
I-Shin-Po, as stated in the story, was the definitive medical textbook in Japan.   
  
{In 1854 a physician in the service of the shogun's harem had Tamba's ancient I-Shin-Po manuscripts beautifully printed on new scrolls and it is mostly this version that Chinese scholars used to reconstruct the lost Sui and T'ang dynasty originals.}  
  
I am just using Pink Samurai as a source. As I read/scanned some of the on-line Taoist sex sources, there are some differences. Most appear to be minor. And expected as this is a philosophy that lasted hundreds of years. Differences of opinion would happen, plus how you translate things also matter. Especially with a language that allows a lot of different translation, like Japanese.  
  
  
  
A link to a page that talks about I-shin-po. Like I expected, it mentions the sex chapter, but does not go into details . . .   
  
http://www.religion.sbc.edu/sakade.html  
  
About the pictures and positions mentioned in the text. I am sorry, but my source doesn't have pictures . . . use your imagination about what those labels mean . . .   
  
How common were these manuals? Standard medical text. Of course the question should be how common are doctors, since most doctors are going to use this. And how common are doctors that can afford copies.  
  
There probably were smaller extracts made, just for people that didn't have the funds for a complete translation.  
  
I also, assume, that the chapter on sex would be a popular chapter.  
  
In Kyoto, Edo and other major cities, I'd say this knowledge was quite common. In small villages, Keade's probably not. (Chapter 2 will answer the question how she got it)  
  
In the tale of Genji, one of the characters on the point of leaving his beloved behind paints her a picture by way of a keepsake, which depicts a beautiful man and woman lying side by side.  
  
Another manual: Koshibagaki-zoshi, 16 pictures. Shows the illicit affair between high prestress Saiko-jo and a guard at the Ise shrine.   
  
Another website. Useful. You might also want to visit the Chinese section of this site. As that can apply to japan. (Japan borrowed heavily from China.)  
  
http://www.bigeye.com/sexeducation/shintoism.html  
  
Chapter 2 will be the girl's POV. (Inu-yasha's ears were twitching for a reason...)  
  
Also, I am a man, so. I am interested in readers, especially the female readers, opinions about how Kagome and Sango will react as they listen to the boys. Chapter 2 is the girl's reactions . . .   
  
Thank you for reading  
  
jeff shelton 


	2. Keade's version

Chapter 2. The girls' POV.  
  
I do not own any of the characters in this story.  
  
I do need to point out that I was very unspecific about time in chapter 1. Exactly how far away they were from the village was left open. Exactly how long it took for the boys to find the scroll . . . wasn't mentioned. So . . . Exactly when the girls start to overhear the boys is . . . unspecified.  
  
  
  
[Quotes from part one. I will be deleting sentences. This is just so you, the reader, will know exactly what the girls are reacting to.]  
  
____________________  
  
And later in the chapter   
  
Keade [quotes from an on-line source. The link will be given below.]  
  
__________________________________  
  
______________________________  
  
Kagome, suddenly, stands up and she looks around. "Inu-yasha?"  
  
Keade looks up and asks, "What is it, Kagome?"  
  
"I don't sense him anymore." She looks around. Nothing odd or unusual is visible.   
  
  
  
It is a normal spring day in the feudal era. A beautiful clean sky with soft fluffy clouds slowly sailing across it, trees covered in fresh bright green leaves, the smell of many flowers being carried on the soft breeze.   
  
A wonderful day to be alive . . .   
  
Keade stands up and looks around, "hmmm, I don't sense anything either, how odd."  
  
  
  
"It's been quiet the last couple of weeks, Keade. And now, Inu-yasha just vanishes? I'm concerned."  
  
"The herbs can wait, child. Let us get Sango, Miroku and investigate. Do you remember the direction of the last time you felt him?"  
  
"Yes, I think. It was in the direction of the village. But, it felt like he was moving rapidly away from me."  
  
"The village?"  
  
Kagome nods.  
  
'Perhaps his senses? But, then why go without telling us?' Keade thinks as nods her head as she comes to a decision. "We are going back to the village, now. Gather your things."  
  
"Shippo."  
  
"Yes, Kagome."  
  
"Go get Sango and Miroku." Kagome points off in the distance. "She said that she'd be practicing in that direction today. There are some diseased trees in that direction and she was going to destroy them so the village could gather them for firewood."  
  
Shippo says, "Yes, Kagome. I'm gone!" He runs in that direction.  
  
"Do you feel anything, child?" Keade asks.  
  
A pause as Kagome concentrates.  
  
"No. Not really." She looks into the sky. "For a second, maybe, something wild, impetuous." She shakes her head.  
  
'Hmmm . . . If Inu-yasha has gotten bored and done something stupid. I believe I'll let Kagome use her spell without limits.' Keade thinks.  
  
After a short wait Shippo, Kirara and Sango join up with Kagome and Keade.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"Inu-yasha is gone. I don't know where." Kagome says.  
  
"Hmmm. I called out to the monk, but he didn't answer. Either he's with the village girls or he's with Inu-yasha." Sango says.  
  
"He's not with the village girls. They are all busy in the fields today." Keade informs the girls.  
  
The three women look at each other and shrug.  
  
"Lady Keade and Kagome, get on Kirara's back. I can run." Sango says.   
  
"Do you really think something's wrong, Sango?" Kagome asks.  
  
"Inu-yasha isn't guarding you and the monk isn't spying on me. Something is going on and it has to be very important, otherwise the boys would ignore it." She replies to Kagome.  
  
"Oh, I didn't look at like that."   
  
Sango and Kirara start to run to the village. "Let's hurry then!"  
  
Kagome thinks as she and the others head toward the village, 'And today would be a day when I left my bow and arrows at Keade's hut. Great. I can hear Inu-yasha's complaints about my stupidity now . . . '  
  
The girls pause at the edge of the village. It appears to be unharmed and all the villagers are going about their normal daily routines.  
  
"What?" Kagome says as she looks at the peaceful scene. She was expecting something dramatic to have happened.   
  
As they pause to examine the village, Keade gets off Kirara and asks a villager about if anything odd has happened. She's told nothing odd has occurred.  
  
"Kagome, can you sense Inu-yasha?"  
  
A pause. "Huh . . . Yes, it feels like he's in that direction." She points toward the center of the village.   
  
Keade's brow furrows, "In the direction of my hut?"  
  
"Huh, yes."  
  
Keade looks at the others and she says, "Be careful, girls. Something odd is happening. So, please, do not crash into the hut, until we know what's going on. I do not want my hut destroyed for any reason."  
  
"Yes, Lady Keade."  
  
"Yes, Ma'am."  
  
The three women, and Shippo and Kirara jogs into the village in the direction of Keade's hut.  
  
They slow down as they approach the hut and Shippo grins as he hears what the boys are saying.  
  
"Girls, you want to be quiet. I can hear some strange things going on in there." He stage whispers to them.  
  
The girls quietly approach the hut and gather next to one of the windows.   
  
They hear . . .   
  
[{With good health and longevity uppermost in mind, it seems, the Chinese advocated copulation several times with at least 10 women in a single night.}  
  
.......  
  
"You don't seem that surprised to find this in here." Inu-yasha says with suspicion. 'This is simply too much like what he would say, I don't care if it's written down or not. I'm going to ask him some questions.' He thinks.]  
  
"Ten! That perverted monk...." Sango growls out.   
  
"Shhh... Sango. Listen to the boys." Keade whispers to her.  
  
"What are we listening to Keade?" Kagome asks.  
  
"Since you brought your time's knowledge of sex. I had out my medical scroll. I had been planning to talk to you about sex." Keade pauses, "After the festival and now that I've had a chance to read the books you brought, I thought a long talk about sex would be useful."  
  
"Oh." Kagome says.  
  
"Shush" Shippo whispers.   
  
[{The yellow emperor had intercourse with 1200 women and thereby became an immortal. Ordinary men have but one woman and that one suffices to make them perish.}  
  
......  
  
"If she asks, I have no difficulties in telling her the truth." Miroku pauses, coughs, "Of course, if she doesn't ask, I see no reason to tell her."]  
  
  
  
"Stupid, stupid monk" Sango's teeth grind together. "I'll know."  
  
"Sango." Kagome says.  
  
"Sango, if you wait, I'll tell you the female side of this, later." Keade calms Sango down.  
  
Inu-yasha's ears twitch, but he ignores them. There are too many people walking around outside for him to concentrate on the outside.  
  
  
  
[{Constant intercourse with only one woman was believed to decrease her vital yin essence, causing her to waste away. Deprived of life-giving yin as a result, the man would weaken too and both would eventually die}  
  
......  
  
Miroku shrugs. "It's true. That statement, with minor changes for syntax, appears in one form or another in every manual I read."]  
  
"Is it true?" Kagome asks.  
  
"Somewhat, child. A man has only a limited amount of Yang, and if he doesn't know how to save it, he'll die faster than he should."  
  
"Oh"  
  
"Hmm. And unlike what was just said. Women do not run out." Keade says.  
  
[{Yin was believed to turn into yang essence in the male stomach and if there was no yin, the essential chemical change was neutralized. Without Yang, he would whiter and die just as surely as he would if he was to leave his jade stalk inactive. Having it off repeatedly with 10 women in a single night sounds daunting, but there was a catch: one should as far as possible refrain from emitting semen.}  
  
......  
  
[{Accumulating vital yin is important and it's strongly recommended taking it straight from the source. Cunnilingus was considered particularly beneficial.}  
  
"Why do you think I drank Sango's essence during the festival?"  
  
"Shit . . . I knew I should have. Next time." ]  
  
Kagome and Sango look at each other and blush.  
  
  
  
[{Blocking ejaculation conserved the man's yang, even as his penis swam to and fro in the source of yin. Since there was every advantage in his obtaining even more yin than this, the sex handbooks strongly recommended a mans replenishing his supply by inhaling his partner's breath as she gasped her way. Kissing too is greatly emphasized as part of foreplay, for yin could be sucked from the woman's saliva as the couple tongues met or when the man nibbled her lower lip.}  
  
......  
  
"Also, it's only implied in this manual, but in other manuals, a man also absorbs some yin through the male organ." Miroku adds. "But, acquiring it via other ways are very enjoyable." Miroku grins.]  
  
"Kisses and such is good for you?" Kagome asks.   
  
Sango nods and says, "Yes, please, answer that Lady Keade."  
  
"Kissing and foreplay is very good for you, girls. In a healthy partnership, it is very pleasurable and needed."  
  
[{The more times one had sex without ejaculating, the greater the benefits to the health. Once, and the vital essence was strengthened: twice improved sight & hearing. Three cured all diseases and so on, until the diligent practitioner was that much closer to immortality.}  
  
......  
  
"No. This is standard." Miroku pauses, "basically the more times you have sex and do not ejaculate the better it is for you. The more women you have sex with the better it is for you."]  
  
"Typical from that perverted monk." Sango says.  
  
"Ah, but it's a true statement, Sango." Sango twirls to glare at Keade. "But, child, it also works the same for women. Actually it's even better for women."   
  
Both girls look at Keade. "I'll explain in more detail later."  
  
  
  
[{Semen was primarily thought to nourish the brain by grinning and bearing his way through coitus, a man could reverse the flow of vital essence and send it to his head.}  
  
.....  
  
Miroku eyes widen in surprise. "You know, Inu-yasha. I've never thought about it like that. Although, now that I think about it . . . Hmm . . . It could work that way. But exactly how a woman's body handles the yang essence . . . I don't remember any manual that goes into detail about that." He rubs his chin in thought. "Next time I'm at Mushin's temple. I'll have to research that."]  
  
  
  
"Of course, I'm smarter than him."   
  
"Of course." Kagome nods in agreement with Sango.  
  
[{Obviously this did not apply to procreation, and in all cases the manuals generously emphasized female orgasm as an essential prerequisite for healthy sex, and advocated starving off the surge to await explosive abandon of a mutual climax.}  
  
"Ok."  
  
Miroku says, "Inu-yasha, you might not like the next statement."  
  
{The man must always first engage her in protracted gentle play to harmonize her mood with his and make her felling respond.}  
  
.....  
  
"Fuck that, monk. I was gentle." Inu-yasha smiles. "And it applies both ways. She was gentle with me."]  
  
Kagome smiles. "Next time, Inu-yasha, we'll go slower and take the time to learn each other's bodies." She whispers.  
  
[{One: pushing the jade stalk down and letting it move to and fro over the lute strings like a saw, as if one were prying open an oyster to obtain the previous pearl inside.}  
  
"Shit. What did it just say?"]  
  
Kagome and Sango look a question at Keade.  
  
"Girls, I've got pictures and will explain the names to you later." Keade says.  
  
"Ok."  
  
["Huh, I bet you, Keade got this for that line." Inu-yasha grumbles.  
  
"I doubt it, Inu-yasha, this is the standard medical text. While there are other similar texts available, this is the reference that is used by the emperor's doctor." ]  
  
"How did you get it, lady Keade?" Sango asks. Kagome nods her head. She wants an answer, also.  
  
"I'll tell you later, but a quick answer. A nobleman died and his servants sold off his scrolls. I acquired them."  
  
"Oh."  
  
[{Indiscriminate emission of semen was considered to do grievous harm. However, so many stokes, without emission, of the penis would be beneficial.}  
  
......  
  
Miroku raises his eyebrow. "Very well, Inu-yasha. But, should I read the number of strokes?"]  
  
"Lady Keade, is it ok if women stroke themselves?" Kagome asks with a blush.  
  
Keade raises her eyebrow, "Of course, it's Ok. As a matter of fact, it's very helpful and women should do it."  
  
["Sex magic?"  
  
Miroku's eye's gleam, "Have you already forgotten what I told Kagome that time she asked about my beliefs?"  
  
Inu-yasha starts, and he says, "No. Forget I asked that."]  
  
"Sex Magic. I thought you didn't like Miroku's beliefs?" Sango asks.  
  
"I dislike some of what he said. If used properly, his beliefs have a basis in truth, but it is easy to go wrong." Keade says.  
  
[{The horoscope proscribed sexual intercourse days}  
  
"There are some complex details about horoscopes here, Inu-yasha. I'm going to skip them. They're horribly detailed." Miroku sighs, "I really need to borrow this from Keade and cast my horoscope again."]  
  
"You had better not let him use this." Sango warns. "I don't want to have to listen to him saying, we are going to have sex because the stars say so."  
  
"But, child, sometimes they do." Keade says in a gentle voice.  
  
[{Medicines to shrink vagina size & increase penis size.}  
  
"Useful."  
  
"Feh." A pause. "How much can it increase?"  
  
"It depends on the medicine. But. I'll warn you, I've tried a few of these and have only had a slight increase."]  
  
'I was happy with it, why is he asking about enlarging it?' Kagome thinks.  
  
["Monk." Inu-yasha growls and he points at a line in the scroll. "I know that symbol is 'white dog' and you skipped it." ]  
  
"Kagome, child, if they're where I think they are in the scroll, be prepared to use the necklace on Inu-yasha."  
  
Kagome looks puzzled. "Ok"  
  
  
  
["Fuck!" Inu-yasha yells!]  
  
  
  
"Now!" Keade hisses.  
  
He grabs at the scroll. But . . .   
  
"Sit, boy!"  
  
THUMP  
  
"Let's go in now, girls." Keade says as she walks toward the door.  
  
"You better be in there, Inu-yasha!" Kagome yells.  
  
"You to, perverted Monk!" Sango adds.  
  
Everyone enters the hut. Inu-yasha and Miroku are standing next to a window. The scroll and the modern books are gone.  
  
"Where is the scroll?" Keade asks, gently.  
  
Inu-yasha and Miroku look at each, they shake theirs heads no, and Miroku points to a cabinet. "In there."  
  
  
  
"Good." Keade looks around. She can see that the girls are just itching to "talk" to the boys.  
  
Keade clears her throat. "Before things get out of hand. I do have something I need to say."  
  
The boys looks relieved and the girls have obvious questions on their faces.  
  
"One of the things that the scroll Miroku read, but he did not emphasize, is that sex is supposed to harmonize a couple, not disrupt a couple." Keade pauses, waiting for something.  
  
Kagome shyly glances at Inu-yasha. "So . . . "  
  
"Don't use sex as an excuse to fight." Keade says.   
  
"But" Sango begins.  
  
"By asking you girls to participate in the festival and the sex that happened because of it, I am responsible for introducing sex into you four's relationships." Keade sighs, "so, it behooves me to, at least, try to harmonize your relationships." She holds up her hand, to forestall the protests she can see on the other faces.  
  
"This isn't how I wanted to start this discussion. But. I do wish to talk about sex and it's consequences." She pauses, "You four do need to know certain things. Inu-yasha's wasn't taught by normal means. Miroku, while excellently taught, was taught a very odd system. Sango, also, was not taught like a normal girl would be. And Kagome was taught about things perhaps even stranger than any of you. And I would like all of you to know the truth." She pauses and looks at the party. "Are you ready?"   
  
Inu-yasha grunts, "Feh." He thinks, 'I can always leave when I wish.'  
  
Miroku says, "Go ahead, Lady Keade. Do you mind if I point out things that might be different?" He thinks, 'she'll probably go with a traditional approach and I can point out errors in that approach.'  
  
Keade nods, yes to the monk's question.  
  
Sango, swallows hard, and says, "yes, Lady Keade." She thinks, 'My father did not like the classic Chinese Taoist approach.'  
  
Kagome blushes and nods her head yes, she doesn't trust her voice. She thinks, 'I have no idea what she's going to say.'  
  
"I thought my books told the truth, Keade?" She asks.  
  
"They are very accurate on the physical facts, Kagome. I'll freely admit that their knowledge of the human body is far superior to mine. But, they either ignore or get wrong the emotional and metaphysical aspects of sex." Keade's hands form a symbol and her hands glow. "This is not mentioned, but it exists."  
  
"Oh."  
  
  
  
"Very well." Keade goes through her cabinets and picks out a couple of other scrolls. "As you might imagine, there are various books about ways to talk and think about sex. The scroll Miroku read is the very traditional viewpoint."  
  
Miroku nods in agreement.   
  
"Lady Keade, you did say that you'd tell us how you got that scroll?" Kagome reminds her.  
  
"Oh, yes, about twenty years ago, a nobleman exile from Kyoto came into the village. His party had been attacked by bandits and many were wounded, including the nobleman." Keade sighs, "He was too wounded for me to help and he died after a couple of days. With his death, his servants sold, or just plain left, many of his effects here. They wanted to get back to Kyoto as quickly as possible and did want anything to slow them down."   
  
"Oh. Ok." Kagome says and the others nod.  
  
Keade opens her scroll and looks around and starts to speak, "I'm sure even Miroku would agree that while what is in the scroll is correct, it is perhaps not the best way."  
  
"Of course." Miroku says.  
  
"One of the statements that I'm sure the girls would like an explanation for is the statement about ten women a night."  
  
"Yes" Kagome says. Sango glares at Miroku as she nods yes.  
  
"Ten women in one night, even for the emperor, are excessive. There are limits on behavior."  
  
Miroku clears his throat.  
  
Keade glares at him, "which is why, monk, your behavior is perverted. You do not accept the limits society places on people."  
  
"I have reasons."  
  
"Which allows some leeway, but, is not a total excuse." Keade says in a warning voice.  
  
"Now, like Miroku, I will read parts of this scroll. If there are questions I will answer them, but, not everything is knowable."  
  
[The Chinese have always held the Taoist view that sexual relations between male and female are the primary, earthly manifestation of the universal principles of Yin & Yang. As such, the Chinese regard sex to be as natural and indispensable to human health and longevity as rain falling on the fields is to plant life.]  
  
"Everything should be in harmony." Keade says as she looks at the group.  
  
Kagome, Sango, and Miroku have the grace to appear to be embarrassed. Inu-yasha doesn't notice a thing.  
  
[In conventional sexual relations, a man ejaculates every time he has intercourse, regardless of his own age or condition. This habit gradually robs him of his primary source of vitality and immunity, leaving him weak and vulnerable to disease and shortening his life span. Meanwhile, the woman gets stronger and stronger, both from her own orgasmic secretions and from her assimilation of potent male semen-essence.]  
  
"Women get fucking stronger!" Inu-yasha spits out. "No way!"  
  
"No, Inu-yasha, women get stronger fucking." Kagome quickly says. She blushes and looks around and in a stage whisper asks, "I didn't say that, did I?"  
  
"You did, bitch." Inu-yasha growls. He glares at Kagome. She stares back.  
  
"You two can fight later." Keade says, interrupting the two before they can get started.  
  
[The different nature of male and female orgasm is reflected in the various slang terms to describe that magic moment. The most common Chinese term for female orgasm is gao-chao, literally 'high tide', a graphic and poetic image drawn from nature. But when man ejaculates, the Chinese say that he has 'lost his essence, 'thrown it away', 'leaked semen', or 'surrendered'. If a man ejaculates before his partner reaches orgasm, the Chinese say that she has 'killed' him.]  
  
"Killed him. Hmmm." Sango mumbles.  
  
"There is no way I would let you kill me in that manner." Miroku says in a stage whisper to her.  
  
"Huff. I'm not going to raise to that statement." She replies in an offhand manner.  
  
Miroku's eyebrows rise. 'Normally I'm the one to make that type of statement. The festival must have changed her attitude toward sex.' He thinks.  
  
[In all the ancient Chinese sex manuals, women are always depicted as the guardian of sexual arcana and the supreme source of life-sustaining essence and energy. In these texts the woman plays the role of the great initiator and teacher of sex, while the man is described as a sexually ignorant bumbler.]  
  
"I beg to differ." Miroku interrupts. "I am not an ignorant bumbler."  
  
"Ah, but were you?" Kagome asks as she blushes.  
  
"Of course, everyone has to learn from someone."  
  
"And a woman taught you, no?"  
  
Miroku purses his lips and nods his head acknowledging the statement.  
  
Kagome glances over at Inu-yasha, only to see him studiously ignoring the convention between Miroku and her. Which is very different from his normal behavior, he always pays attention to any conversation she has with any male.  
  
['Macho' men simply cannot face the fact that women are sexually superior, nor do they dare admit the realities of their own inherent sexual weakness. This sad state of affairs is due primarily to sexual ignorance.]  
  
"Sexually superior!" Inu-yasha yells as he quickly stands up and jumps at Keade.  
  
"Sit, boy."  
  
THUMP!  
  
"You were saying, Lady Keade." Kagome says. "And, Oh, Inu-yasha, a word of advice, don't get up."  
  
"Grr . . . " comes floating up from the floor.  
  
"Before you continue, Lady Keade, I do have a question." Miroku asks.  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"I consider myself well read, but I've never heard this approach to sex before, where did you find it?"  
  
"I didn't think you would, monk. While I used regular texts to start with, this scroll is my version. As such, I would greatly appreciate and demand that you and Inu-yasha do not repeat this to any other male. Some of what you are about to hear is meant for women's ears only. I am going against tradition by including you in this discussion. But I believe this discussion is important."  
  
"Ahhh . . . " Miroku nods.  
  
"I am not weaker than Kagome." Inu-yasha growls from the floor.   
  
"Oh really, Inu-yasha, listen to this." Keade says.  
  
[The male tendency to fall sound asleep after ejaculation is a prime indicator of complete exhaustion. If orgasm itself were so exhausting, then women would feel the same effects from it, but they don't. It is the physical ejection semen from the body not orgasm per se- that harms man.]  
  
"Well, Inu-yasha?" Keade asks.  
  
"I do not fall asleep after one orgasm." Inu-yasha grits out from the floor.   
  
"Your demonic heritage obviously gives you advantages that normal men do not have, Inu-yasha. But, can you answer this question. Do you feel weaker after the ejaculation?"  
  
"Grrr . . . " Inu-yasha glares into Keade eyes. "I do not fall asleep after one orgasm." He repeats.  
  
"What about after three to four, Inu-yasha?" Kagome asks.  
  
"Shut the fuck up! Bitch!" Inu-yasha screams.  
  
"You don't appear be that upset, Monk." Sango whispers to Miroku. He has, for him, a confused expression on his face.  
  
"She's correct. The wording she's using and the implications of the words are very different, but she's basically correct." He whispers back.  
  
[Taoist sex is a barter arrangement between Yin and Yang: the man sacrifices a small measure of short-term pleasure in return for the long-term benefits of health and longevity, while the woman enjoys complete unrestricted sexual pleasure in exchange for a measure of her abundant supplies of life-prolonging essence and energy.]  
  
"Unrestricted?" Sango asks.  
  
Keade replies, "Yes, Sango. From earlier conversations with you, I believe you were taught a very restricted approach to sex."  
  
Sango nods. "Father believed Taoist thought was too . . . wild and undisciplined and he hated it."  
  
"I thought it was something like that." Keade nods. "This is a better approach than repressing something very natural."  
  
Sango's mouth twitches, "I'll try, Lady Keade." She grins and looks at Miroku. "This means I can be as wild as him?"  
  
"Yes and no, Sango." Keade says, "Yes, you can, but, this doesn't change other people's opinions."  
  
"So if I do become as wild as him, I'll be as big."  
  
Keade interrupts, "bigger"  
  
Sango nods, "A bigger pervert than the monk, then." She purses her lips. "Please continue, Lady Keade. I am very interested."  
  
Miroku looks unsure. 'Should I be happy? Or should I be concerned?' he thinks.  
  
[For men, masturbation represents an irretrievable and uncompensated loss of Yang semen-essence.]  
  
[A woman, by contrast, may masturbate to her heart's content without damaging her stores of essence and energy.]  
  
Sango and Kagome's faces are poker-face-blank.  
  
"God damn it, you perverted monk. Argue! Tell the old bag she's fucking wrong!" Inu-yasha yells from the floor.  
  
Miroku, with suppressed anger evident in his voice, replies, "Her perspective is different from normal, but Inu-yasha, what's she is saying is correct."  
  
[The same point applies to homosexual relations: they are harmless for women but highly detrimental to men, both physiologically and psychologically.]  
  
[Nature has made Yin passive and yielding, and two passive forces do not conflict.]  
  
[Yang is by nature an active, aggressive force, and, when two aggressive forces meet, a fundamental conflict of energies and intentions result. Male homosexuality requires that one partner yield to the other by adopting the female role, both physically and psychologically, and when this practice becomes a habit it completely undermines the fundamental role of Yang in the order of nature.]  
  
Sango and Kagome are blushing as Keade reads this.  
  
Inu-yasha eyebrows twitch. Miroku clears his throat.  
  
[For a man to nurture his male powers, he must nourish his yang essence by absorbing Yin essence. When men and women indulge freely in sex, exchanging their bodily fluids and breathing each other's breath, it is like fire and water meeting in such perfect proportions that neither one defeats the other. Man and woman should ebb and flow in intercourse like the waves and currents of the sea, first one way then another, but always in harmony with the Great Tide. In this manner, they may continue all night long, constantly nourishing and preserving their precious vital essences, curing all ailments, and promoting long life.]  
  
"Harmony." Keade stresses. "Is very important."  
  
"Then why the fuck are you stressing it now, old bag?!" Inu-yasha growls out.  
  
"Because, Inu-yasha, now that this group has experienced sex with each other, it will be very important in your relationships. And with my experience, it will either cause problems or solve problems. By doing this now, I can help you solve problems."  
  
"I don't have a problem with sex, old bag."  
  
"Sigh, Inu-yasha. I'll be blunt then. Naraku's favorite point of attack is at relationships. In order to avoid that type of attack, you have either no relationships or your relationships must be in such harmony that he can't successfully attack them."  
  
Iun-yasha clenches his teeth, his jaw muscles straining.  
  
The others look at each other, grimace, then they slowly nod.  
  
"And, Inu-yasha, as I said before, since because of my actions, I introduced sex into you four's relationships, I must do what I can to, at least, make sure that sex does not destroy you four's relationships. I would greatly prefer for you four's relationships to harmonize and sex is a way to harmonize those relationships."   
  
Keade looks around, and says,  
  
[The Yellow Emperor: But when he learns the Tao of Yin and Yang, he will ejaculate less and less. Will this not diminish his pleasure as well?   
  
Peng-Tze: Not at all! After ejaculating, a man feels tired, his ears buzz, his eyes get heavy, and he longs for sleep. He is thirsty and his limbs feel week and stiff. By ejaculating, he enjoys a brief moment of sensation but suffers long hours of weariness as a result. This is no true pleasure!  
  
However, if a man regulates his ejaculations to an absolute minimum and retains his semen, his body will grow strong, his mind will clear, and his vision and hearing will improve. While a man must occasionally deny himself the fleeting sensation of ejaculation, his love for women will gently increase. He will feel as if could never get enough of her. Is that not the true and lasting pleasure of sex?]  
  
"Miroku?" Inu-yasha asks.  
  
"Are you asking me to confirm that statement?" A slight pause as Inu-yasha nods. "Remember that rainy night when I talked about my beliefs? This is basic sex magic and is part of what I was talking about."   
  
Miroku replies, "Now, what she's not saying is the discipline and training to get those positive results does not happen overnight. Nor does the harmony she's emphasizing take place overnight."  
  
"Quite true, monk. But every journey starts with a the first step." Keade says. She smiles, and says, "This might make what I'm saying more understandable, Inu-yasha."  
  
[Apart from the number of combatants involved, is there really any difference between battles fought by armies and those fought in bed? In both cases, the commanders first priority if to survey the terrain and assess the opponent. In sexual encounters, it is the hills and valleys of the woman that first attract the mans attention, while she is most curious about the size and firepower of his weapons. Who will advance and who will retreat? In bed, as in war, it is just as important to know yourself as it is to know your opponent.]  
  
"Fighting, huh?" Inu-yasha smiles. 'Kagome and I did fight, I suppose, that night. Keade might be onto something here.'  
  
"That is a very interesting picture you drew, Lady Keade." Miroku says. "And this is one I would not have expected from a woman."  
  
"I have led men into battle, monk." Keade says. Miroku nods.  
  
"Interesting . . . " Sango breathes. 'Sex as combat. That's very interesting.' She thinks.  
  
Kagome thinks, 'hmmm . . . Inu-yasha never loses a fight. Perhaps approaching him like that.'   
  
[Unlike battles found with swords and spears, however, it is the woman who holds the advantage over men in sexual engagements, and therefore men require the most 'training' to prepare themselves for battle. Most men, however, fondly regard themselves as 'stronger' than women and therefore consider their five-minute blitzkriegs in bed to be par for the course.]  
  
"..." Inu-yasha opens and closes his mouth a couple of times. He glances at Miroku.  
  
"As I said, Inu-yasha, I am trained in this." He says.  
  
Sango and Kagome look at each other, blush. "Do women need training, lady Keade?" Sango asks.  
  
"Some Sango. I will go into more detail when the boys are gone, though." Keade says.   
  
"And, there are parts of this scroll that are specific for boys, as well." She nods in Inu-yasha's direction.   
  
"Although, given Miroku's training . . . " she raises her eyebrow in his direction.  
  
"I was already planning to ask you to borrow that scroll, Lady Keade. While I understand and accept your request that people not know you wrote it. I am very interested in your point of view. It is very different from what I've read before."  
  
"As long as you don't copy it, I have no problems with you looking at the scroll, monk."  
  
[Foreplay, the Four Attainments, the Five Signs, the Five Desires, the Ten Indications and the Five Virtues. These serve as signposts along the winding road to woman's orgasm, and every man should learn to read them.]  
  
[In Taoist parlance, foreplay helps to bring the 'water' to a boil while keeping the 'fire' burning slowly.]  
  
[The Four Attainments refer to the four fundamental conditions that the male organ must attain during foreplay before it is 'qualified' to enter the Jade Gate for intercourse]  
  
[A male who desires intercourse must first pass through four stages of attainment: elongation, swelling, hardness, and heat.]  
  
"There is, girls and boys, a long list of positions and pictures here. I'll go over them in detail later." Keade says.  
  
[Some men are strong, some are weak, some men are old and others are in their prime. Each should live according to his own vitality and not try to force the joys of sex. Forcing joy is harmful.]  
  
"I will repeat that. 'Forcing joy is harmful.'" Keade stresses.  
  
"To finalize"  
  
[If the man ejaculates before the woman reaches orgasm, she gains the benefits of both his semen-essence and his energy, while he loses both and gains neither of hers. If the couple ejaculates at the same moment, the woman again gains the man's essence and energy, but the man gains only her burst of energy, because he loses his erection before it has had a chance to absorb the essential secretions of her orgasm. If the man controls himself long enough for the woman to reach orgasm then suppresses his own ejaculation, he absorbs both his own and her essence as well as her energy, while she still derives the benefits of reabsorbing a measure of her own sexual secretions. The fourth and final alternative is for the man to permit himself and ejaculation (when his emission schedule calls for it) after his partner has reached orgasm, but only after he has spent some time 'dragging the Yin essence in through the Yang peak'. In this case, both partners absorb each other's sexual essence and energy in a perfectly balanced coition.]  
  
Kagome softly coughs, "Lady Keade, do you expect us to have sex, now?"  
  
Keade's mouth twists into a smile. "No child. Having sex without thought is wrong. Doing so will probably destroy the relationships you four have developed."  
  
She sighs. "I just want to make sure all of you understand, that after the festival, your lives have entered a new phase of life, and I do not want things to collapse, now."  
  
She nods toward Kagome, "Your quest is important. I am doing this because I believe that introducing a greater harmony between you will help your quest."  
  
Keade looks around at the group. Everyone in the group is obviously thinking hard. 'Good, I've made an impression. Even Inu-yasha is thinking.' She thinks.  
  
Inu-yasha stands up, glares at Kagome. He leaves the hut.  
  
Kagome purses her lips, "You're given me a lot to think about, Lady Keade. Do you mind if I leave to think alone?"  
  
"Go ahead, Kagome." Kagome leaves the hut. She pauses, concentrates on her mystical senses. She smiles and leaves the village.  
  
Sango stands up, grabs her boomerang, and she says "I did not finish bringing down those trees for the village, Lade Keade." She pauses. Her eyes definitely do not look at Miroku. "I'll return to that chore now." She leaves the hut.  
  
"May I please see that scroll, Lady Keade?" Miroku asks.   
  
Keade hands him the scroll. "You are not leaving?"  
  
"I am very interested in this scroll. You have given me a very different viewpoint to consider."  
  
"You've never considered it from the woman's point of view before."  
  
"Oh, parts of it. How to pleasure a woman and such. But I never looked at with the perspective that you've just used."  
  
Keade looks at Miroku, "Since you're interested in the woman point of view now, would you like some advise?"  
  
Miroku frowns, "I suppose."  
  
"Talk a walk." She points in the direction that Sango left in. "In that direction. Now."  
  
Miroku purses his lips. 'I did ask for advice. And my previous tactics never really worked, so.' he nods. "Thank you, Lady Keade." He leaves the hut.  
  
Keade rolls the scroll up and places it in the cabinet. She takes the other scroll, the one that Miroku was reading, and places it in a case. The case is marked with the name Higurashi.  
  
She looks at the case. 'I'll have to ask Kagome about that name. I think she's mentioned that as her family name. I wonder if there is a connection.' She thinks.  
  
  
  
End chapter 2.  
  
Sighs . . . this was going to be a simple chapter. A few one-liners from the girls. Keade's talk about harmony within the group and that's was it. But . . . I found a very interesting site.   
  
http://www.hps-online.com/tsy1.htm  
  
Keade's speech is from this site. It's obviously from a modern pro-women POV. But, shrug. It was too good to pass up.   
  
A couple of sequences might need some explanation. So . . .   
  
Sango's teaching. It was more Confucian. (After 1600 the shogun's government uses Confucian-based philosophy as its basic approach to government and life.) However, Confucianism isn't as open and evenhanded as Taoism where sex and women are concerned. (I'm being very polite here.)  
  
Homosexual sequence. Miroku, apparently, grew up in an all male monastery. I'm sorry, but you have to assume he was exposed to at least some experimentation between the boys. The girls have had, at least, had some odd thoughts. Inu-yasha . . . well. He'd been exposed to various samurai philosophies. Well, this is a generalization, but . . . one of those philosophies is . . . Women are not capable of understanding complex emotions like friendship, love, etc. (simple lust, yes. Love, no.) Only men can understand those emotions. As such, if you are male and you want friendship/love you have to seek it with another man.   
  
Inu-yasha and size . . . This is from modern sources, so . . . Let's simply say that modern Japanese men tend to have a complex about size and smallness . . . (no matter how big it is, it'll never be big enough . . . )  
  
Oh, yes, I had one reviewer ask if this is still practiced today.   
  
Well . . . Tai-chi is related to this . . .   
  
A couple of other reviewer related points.   
  
First in chap. 1 the comment about "White Dog liver" and Inu-yasha's reaction. This is a set-up for a storyline that occurs before Kikyo. Basically, even before Kikyo, someone emotional hurt Inu-yasha badly. Why else would he be so resistant to developing relationships? I'll get to it one of these days, but let's simply say that sometimes when a person says they want your body, they might mean something different from you think and want them to mean . . .   
  
Second. I am taking this out of context and altering things to fit the story. SO, I'm sure there are things I'm getting wrong, but. Shrug. This is for enjoyment. Keade's speech on harmony is the important part, and everything else in the story is optional.  
  
The scroll case at the end and the Higurashi name. See my story "A shard in Kyoto" for more about that.  
  
A question for the readers. On the website that I used for Keade's speech, is a list of various euphemisms about sex and/or body parts. Should I post it as part of ch 3 or just let people go to that site?  
  
Thank you for reading  
  
jeff shelton 


	3. SangoMiroku & KagomeInuyasha talk

Chapter 3  
  
This chapter did not turn out exactly as I had wanted, but, there are still some good moments in it.  
  
___________________________________  
  
Miroku is walking through the forest, when the sound of trees falling draws him to Sango.  
  
As he sees her, he stops and admires her.  
  
  
  
She is knocking down a tree and then, using her giant boomerang, she breaks the trucks into smaller pieces. She does appear to be using more force than necessary.  
  
  
  
After a minute or so, she pauses, twirls around and throws the weapon in Miroku's direction. "I don't like to being spied on."  
  
  
  
Miroku ducks, avoiding the weapon, and he says, "I know. I wasn't spying. I just wanted to talk to you."   
  
  
  
"I'm not having, you know . . . with you, perverted monk." Sango growls out as she catches her weapon.  
  
Miroku moves over and sits down on one of the downed tree trunks. He sighs. "Keade has a point about harmony. I'll never force you into something you don't want to do, Sango."  
  
"Then why are you here?"  
  
"Keade told me to take a walk in this direction."  
  
"And, as much as I admire her, I do not have to follow her orders or suggestions."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Then we have nothing to talk about."  
  
A pause as Sango and Miroku stare at each other.  
  
Miroku sighs, and breaking eye contact starts to stare at the ground. "In order to get in harmony, talking, communication is necessary." He reaches down and picks up a small broken branch. As he talks, he bends, twists and breaks the branch into smaller pieces, just as something to occupy his hands.  
  
"Huh. And I don't want to talk right now."  
  
"Awhile back, a friend of mine came to me for advice. He was having problems with a beautiful, brave, strong, forceful woman and wanted me to help him." Miroku says, as he speaks he continues to look at the ground and play with the stick in his hands.  
  
He pauses and glances at Sango. Sango blushes. "And do I want to know the advice you gave your" she emphasizes the last word, "friend."  
  
He looks back at the ground and he says in a very weak voice, "I don't know, Sango. That was his problem. He never knew exactly what to say to her."   
  
In a lighter tone of voice he continues, "There would be times when he would say something simple and she'd react like she . . . cared for him. But, then, there would be times when he would try to be serious and she'd throw him out, without listening."  
  
He pauses, staring at the ground.  
  
She purses her lips and walks away.  
  
Miroku lifts his head and he's about to say something. But . . .   
  
After walking a couple of lengths from Miroku, Sango deliberately places her boomerang against a tree. She twirls around, staring him in the face. She sits down next to him on the trunk.   
  
  
  
She breaks eye contact and starts to stare at the ground.  
  
She licks her lips and says, "Before Naraku, I had a girlfriend who had problems with a handsome, intelligent, if perverted man. She asked me for my advice about him. She wanted to know, how could she talk to him seriously, without him taking that talk to mean something other than what she wanted to say."   
  
Miroku's mouth twitches. "I see."  
  
A pause.   
  
It stretches . . .   
  
"Sango." "Miroku." Is spoken at the same time.  
  
They look at each other, mouths trying to twitch into smiles.  
  
Miroku breaks eye contact and says, "Ladies first."  
  
"Since when am I a lady."  
  
He swallows and he says in a whisper, "you always are."  
  
A pause.  
  
Sango bends down and she picks up a stick, something to occupy her hands as she talks, "I . . . My friend just did not know what to do." Sango sighs, "There was times when her . . . " she glances at Miroku.   
  
Miroku is paying very close attention to her, she glances away and she says, "boyfriend would say great things to her. Only the next minute he would grab her and be too pushy."  
  
"My friend had a similar problem."  
  
"My friend liked her. Boyfriend . . . A lot." Sango stares at the ground. "She even dreamed about . . . being perverted with him, many times." She blushes.  
  
"My friend told me about many similar dreams."  
  
"Pervert."  
  
"My friend and I are men."  
  
"And think that just because you have a penis you can stick it in any time you want."  
  
"No Sango. I do not think that." Miroku states in an authoritative tone.  
  
  
  
"You . . . Or rather, your friend, probably acted like that all the time." Sango glares at Miroku.   
  
Miroku glances away and whispers, "What was your friends problem with being perverted with her boyfriend?"  
  
Sango sighs, "She was caught up in a special quest." Miroku nods. "Having intercourse, to a girl, is different from a boy. For a man it is just a question of how soon before he can do it again. But for a woman getting pregnant is something she has to consider."  
  
"I see."  
  
"Until that quest was over, she did not want to get pregnant. And the only way to make sure that did not happen, is not to get perverted." Sango sighs, "And even if my friend did get pregnant, given the stress of her quest, she'd probably have a miscarriage before the child would be born."  
  
"Was this the only problem?"  
  
"Why did your friend always proposition any woman he meets?"  
  
  
  
"I... My friend does not proposition every woman."  
  
"Oh, I forgot, just the pretty ones."  
  
Miroku sighs, "He . . . his family always found ways to die young. He wanted to make sure that the family would continue after his death."  
  
"That's not the only reason." Sango says with ironclad certainty in her voice.  
  
Miroku glances at her and looks away. "I suppose if I mentioned that he wanted to have sex for its life-enhancing benefits . . . "  
  
"That's not a good enough reason. If it was, every man would say it."  
  
Miroku pauses.  
  
"Monk?"  
  
"My friend enjoys sex, ok." Miroku whispers to the ground. "And wants to have it as often as possible."  
  
"Pervert."  
  
Miroku nods, "yes, my friend is."  
  
Sango grins and giggles, "Always an excuse."  
  
Miroku's mouth twitches, "Maybe."  
  
Sango's face gets a serious expression on it. "Do you understand my friends objection to having sex with her boyfriend?"  
  
Miroku looks at Sango. "Sango, please look at me?" he asks.  
  
Sango looks at him.  
  
Miroku sighs and nods his head, yes.  
  
"Then you, your friend, wouldn't grab people anymore."  
  
Miroku coughs, "I can't make that promise."  
  
Sango glares angrily at him, "Why?"  
  
"Because . . . Whenever I, or rather, my friend sees the woman he . . . cares about intensively." Sango blushes. "Rational thoughts vanish, scatter like the leaves of these trees into the four winds." He waves his arm to dramatize the point.  
  
Miroku's mouth twitches into a smile, "there are times when my friend just does not know what his hands are doing."  
  
"Like I'm going to believe that." Sango takes a deep breath.   
  
"But, Sango, you never answered my question if your friend had any more objections to sex, then just the quest she was on." Miroku says before she can speak.  
  
Sango releases her breath and glares at the monk. "My friend did not like to be grabbed in public, in front of strangers or even her best friend. She was raised to believe that sex was something that was to be in the privacy of a home, between a married couple. Not rutting in the woods like a pair of chance meet rabbits." Sango looks at the ground, after she finishes.  
  
A pause.   
  
Miroku slowly and with a delicate tone of voice says, "So, if my friend was to ask your friend, say in the privacy of a house, with just the two of them."  
  
"She'd jump him." Sango interrupts with a miorkuish gleam in her eyes. "Provided the quest was over, of course."  
  
"Of course." A pause. "That might be something to dream about. I've never thought about what it would be like if you were to do grab my clothes and throw me to the ground."  
  
Smack!  
  
Miroku rubs his cheek and asks, "What was that for?"  
  
"Have you dreamed of taking me without my permission?" fires are burning in Sango eyes as she asks the question.  
  
Miroku stares up at her. "No." His mouth twitches. "DID not you, just say, 'she'd jump him?'"  
  
"Of course. I just would move first, you. My girlfriend's boyfriend would want it just as much as he does. She'd just go first."  
  
"That was the same as my dreams, only I'd go first." Miroku reaches out and grasps Sango hands, "Lady Sango, by all that I believe in, I promise, I would never take you without your consent."  
  
Sango looks into his eyes and nods.  
  
Miroku moves next to Sango. He keeps her hand in his. "Besides how many men could take you without your consent?"  
  
"In a fair fight?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Hmm . . . There are a couple that could probably knock me unconscious. But, I promise you, they would be in no shape to do anything to me. I'd hurt them at least that much." Sango says as she glares at Miroku's groin.   
  
Miroku coughs, and says, "I think we've gotten away from where we needed to go." He says as he sighs.  
  
Sango looks down at her hand, but leaves it in his grasp.  
  
"Perhaps, Monk." She pauses. "But, until the quest is over, my friend can't allow herself to get pregnant, so that means no sex."  
  
Miroku sighs, "Not quite, that means no intercourse, there are ways to pleasure each other without that."  
  
"I thought that your friend only wanted a child, and I remember something about the beliefs of his family and intercourse."  
  
Miroku nods, yes. "Your friend is correct. Normally my friend would only want to have sex with the idea of having a child. But . . . " Miroku pauses and then he whispers, "In this case . . . " his mouth twitches.  
  
"You'd do it." Sango interrupts. Miroku nods.  
  
A pause.  
  
"Keade mentioned that having sex is good for a person." Sango says. Miroku nods and as he opens his mouth to speak, Sango covers it with her free hand.  
  
"I know that you'll tell me that she's correct." Sango says as she looks into his eyes, "I'm going to ask Keade if I can borrow that scroll and I will examine it, myself."  
  
Miroku nods. Sango can feel his mouth twisting beneath her hand. She blushes as she says, "Shush. After I do that, monk. Then. Only then, if I agree with the scroll, I might consider doing the health increasing exercises on the scroll with you."  
  
She releases his mouth. Sango blushes, and says, "Provided it's a type of exercise that will not get me pregnant."   
  
"Of course." Miroku smiles, but then his smiles fades.  
  
"What?"  
  
Miroku sighs, "I just thought of the one problem that neither of us considered."  
  
"And that is."  
  
"Naraku."  
  
"I don't see . . . "  
  
"Keade is correct in that his favorite point of attack is at relationships. Do you agree?"  
  
"Huh, Yes. Of course. But."  
  
"Right now, we don't have a real relationship and as such Naraku can't attack that which doesn't exist. But should we get closer, then a relationship will develop."  
  
"And Nararku will attack it."  
  
"Yes, if Kanna sees us sharing a futon, how long before Naraku tries to do something against us?"  
  
Sango grimaces, "Not long."  
  
"Yes. Now, once we've developed a relationship, then such an attack we could defend against. But, especially at first."  
  
Sango interrupts, "At first we'd not trust each other enough, and he'd use that."  
  
Miroku nods.  
  
Sango sighs, "so a choice. Ignore that this conversation happened, or invite Naraku to attack."  
  
Miroku sighs, "The safest choice and, perhaps the wisest, is the first."  
  
"Perhaps the wisest?"  
  
"My thoughts around you are not to be trusted."  
  
Sango smiles quickly, then the smile fades. "Once we . . . take any real steps to begin a relationship, not just . . . sharing some thoughts about a couple friends. That is a road without a way back."   
  
Miroku and Sango blushes, but nod at each other.  
  
"So . . . You have a perverted friend, Miroku?"  
  
"Of course, and you have a girlfriend that needs to have a greater appreciation for her body's natural abilities?"  
  
"Yes, I do."  
  
A pause. Miroku slowly gets up. "I think. I'll go into the village, now." He slowly walks away.  
  
Miroku is about to reach the edge of the clearing.  
  
"Monk."  
  
HE turns around. "Yes."  
  
"I do intend to study that scroll. And if I decide that it has techniques that will make me healthier or increase my abilities, I will need, a let's it call, a sparing partner."  
  
Miroku bows to Sango. "I would be honored if you chose me."  
  
"IF Keade is right and it's necessary for good health and such, that's all it will be for, you do understand that, you perverted monk. Nothing else."  
  
"Of course, Lady Sango."  
  
Miroku and Sango stare into each other's eyes for a timeless moment.   
  
Sango blushes.  
  
Miroku nods his head and turns to go to the village.  
  
"Oh, Monk!" Miroku turns around. "I'll decide about the scroll in my own good time. Don't be pushy, all that will do is delay my decision."  
  
Miroku nods, "I'll try, Lady Sango."  
  
Sango picks up her boomerang. She still has to finish her chore. 'I wish my family was still alive, so I could ask them about what to do. I always expected to be able to turn to them for advice. Now . . . I'm having to make decisions on my own. And, while I trust Kagome and Keade, still they're not family.' She thinks. 'Hopefully I'm not making the wrong decision.'  
  
  
  
Miroku looks at his cursed hand as he walks away. 'Do I continue to grab her, or not? Naraku will attack us, even if the sex is just for health purposes.' He grimaces.   
  
'Finely she's left an opening, only am I too afraid of the consequences to act upon it?' He slowly shakes his head. 'There is still time. And there are other women out there.'   
  
He flexes his fingers. 'Besides, when that happens again, I want to be able to concentrate on her and not have to worry about my back being attacked while we're in bed.' Miroku sighs. "Another reason to kill Naraku . . . " he says.  
  
**************************  
  
Kagome looks up into a tall tree by the old well. She can only see pieces of his red shirt, as Inu-yasha hides in the leaves.  
  
"Inu-yasha!"  
  
Nothing . . .   
  
"Please, Inu-yasha. I just want to talk."  
  
Nothing . . .   
  
'Fine. If he's going to be that way.' She thinks, her lips purse as she's about to speak . . . 'no. I wouldn't say it. All it'll do is make him mad, and I want to talk to him, not yell at him.'  
  
She walks over to the large tree and looks up and down the trunk. 'Hopefully, I won't ruin this skirt.' She thinks as she begins to climb the tree.  
  
At first, she tries to glance up, but climbing the tree takes all her concentration. 'Don't look down. Just keep climbing. Don't think about how you're going to get down. Just grab something and keep moving.' She thinks.  
  
"Wench."  
  
"Yikes!" Kagome yells! She almost loses her grip on the tree trunk, but quickly grabs it and hugs the tree in a death grip.  
  
"You startled me!" She yells at him as she looks up at him.  
  
"Why?" Inu-yasha's face and upper body is still hidden in the leaves above her and off to her right.  
  
"I wanted to talk to you." She says. She starts to climb the tree again.   
  
"I don't mean the shit in the hut. I mean this." Inu-yasha waves to the tree.  
  
"I didn't want to say sit, boy . . . "  
  
THUMP!  
  
"Because you'd get mad . . . " She rather lamely finishes at she stares into the hole through the foliage that Inu-yasha has just made.  
  
"YOU BITCH!" Inu-yasha yells from the ground.  
  
"I'm sorry, Inu-yasha! I didn't mean to say it!" Kagome yells back down.  
  
"I'll come down. Catch me?" Kagome asks.  
  
"Feh. After that, no." Inu-yasha yells back at her. "You got up there on your own. You can get down by yourself."  
  
"Ok . . . " Kagome looks around and starts to climb down the tree.   
  
But . . .   
  
'Great, my skirts caught.' She thinks and she starts to try to carefully pry her skirt out of the tangle it and the tree somehow made.  
  
Her shoes lose their grip on the trunk and she slips and falls.  
  
RIP! Goes the skirt.  
  
"Inu!"  
  
Inu-yasha catches her before she falls more than a couple of meters and lands in on top of a major branch, right next to the tree trunk. He lands hugging her and she's got a death grip hug on him.  
  
"Thank you, Inu-yasha." Kagome whispers into his ear.  
  
"Now you know why I don't wear shoes, wench."  
  
Kagome's mouth twitches, "Yes, I should have removed them before I started." She says. She kicks her shoes off, now. They bounce to the ground.  
  
They continue to hug each other. "I just want to talk, Inu-yasha, please." She begs in a whisper.  
  
  
  
Inu-yasha sighs and slumps his shoulder. "I'm not good at talking."  
  
"I know." She pauses, "I'm not. No. Inu-yasha, please. Can we at least try?" she pleads.  
  
"Feh." He slowly releases her from the hug. "Do you want to get down?"  
  
Kagome looks around. They are a good twenty meters off the ground. The leaves around them prevent her from seeing all that much. "No. Inu-yasha, let's stay up here."  
  
"Huh?" Inu-yasha says with a surprised look on his face.  
  
"This is about the most privacy as we've ever likely to get." Kagome replies. Kagome moves to where the branch joins the tree trunk and sits down straddling the branch. Her ripped skirt hangs on both sides of the tree trunk. Her panties are visible to Inu-yasha.  
  
"Please Inu-yasha. Could you please, you know, here." She pats on the tree branch in front of her, right between her legs.  
  
"But..." Inu-yasha starts.   
  
"With your back toward me, Ok."  
  
Inu-yasha swallows hard and he sits down between Kagome's legs with his back pressing against her breasts and stomach.  
  
"Thank you." She whispers into his ears, her breath causing the small hairs in them to move.   
  
He shivers. She hugs him. "I don't know where to start, Inu-yasha."  
  
"Why start at all?"  
  
"Inu-yasha! If we're going to have any type of relationship, we have to talk."  
  
"We haven't needed it before."  
  
"Things have changed, after the festival."  
  
"No. Things can't change."  
  
"Why?" Kagome moans. The hurt in her voice causes Inu-yasha to shiver and tears to start in his eyes.  
  
"Because of Naraku. If . . . if we, you know." Inu-yasha begins to say.   
  
"If we do what Keade's scroll says."  
  
"Yeah. He'll hurt you." Inu-yasha says. He swallows. "I don't want you to be hurt." He whispers.  
  
Kagome's hug tightens. "I know. That's why I trust you." She whispers into his ears.  
  
"What do we do, Inu-yasha?"  
  
"We pretend that night didn't happen, that Keade's scroll doesn't exist."  
  
"I don't want to." Kagome whispers.  
  
"We have to." Inu-yasha whispers. "Kagome?"  
  
"Yes, Inu-yasha?"  
  
"What Keade said in the hut . . . " Inu-yasha begins but he trails off.  
  
"About men and women and which is better?" Kagome asks in a soft voice.   
  
Inu-yasha tenses up, but does not otherwise move. "Inu-yasha . . . that doesn't really matter to me. All I would want is you to respect me."   
  
She sighs, "the scroll that was written by a man went to far one way, Keade scroll, probably, goes too far the other way, Inu-yasha. Something in the middle is right. I can fell that in my bones, but exactly where in the middle."   
  
She shakes her head, rubbing her chin against the back of his neck, "I'll have to read both scrolls and experiment to find out."   
  
"Grrr . . . " Inu-yasha growls. "No. the safest way is to ignore both scrolls."  
  
"I don't want to be safe."  
  
Inu-yasha twists around so he can look into Kagome's eyes. "Inu-yasha, If I wanted to be safe, I would have destroyed the well long ago."  
  
Kagome's grins, "If I wanted to be safe, I wouldn't be up in this tree, would I?"  
  
Inu-yasha swallows, "I'm going to protect you, even against your stupid ideas."  
  
Kagome glares at him, breaks her hug and grabs one of his ears. "Inu-yasha . . . " she says in an angry tone.   
  
Inu-yasha stares into her angry eyes. "I will decide about my life, Inu-yasha. Not you."  
  
"But"  
  
"Ssshhh . . . Inu-yasha. I know you care about me." He growls. "Quiet. You do. And I know you're protective of me. I'm not entirely sure if it's because you think I belong to you and you don't want me hurt because I'm your shard detector, or if you really do care about me as a person, but that doesn't matter right now."   
  
The look in her eyes turns to affection. "Inu-yasha, your protectiveness one of the reasons I care so much about you. But, Inu-yasha, I'm not going to allow your overprotectiveness to change my life."   
  
"I'm not overprotective."  
  
"Oh? Then when you prevent Kouga from getting close to me. Is that jealousy, or protectiveness?"  
  
Inu-yasha's jaws open and close a couple of times. "Protectiveness."  
  
"Kouga is a friend. Nothing else, Ok, Inu-yasha." Kagome whispers, "You don't have to be jealous."  
  
"I am not jealous." Inu-yasha says through clinched teeth.  
  
Kagome's eyebrows raise, but she doesn't say a word. Inu-yasha blushes and turns to put his back against Kagome again. Kagome reaches around and hugs him.  
  
"Inu-yasha, please, all I'm asking is that you don't automatically assume you know what's best for me, Ok?"  
  
"Sometimes I have to."  
  
"Yeah, in combat, I know and that's fine." Kagome snuggles up closer to him. "I don't mind that, it's just when I'm not in combat, Ok?"  
  
"I don't like it."  
  
"I'm not asking you to like it, Inu-yasha. And I expect you to argue with me when you think I'm doing something stupid."   
  
Inu-yasha and Kagome share a small laugh.  
  
"But, please, at least try to see things from my perspective."  
  
A pause. Inu-yasha faintly nods and whispers, "I've never considered things from anybodies else point of view before."  
  
"Yes, I thought so. Please, just try, Ok, Inu-yasha. You don't have to be right, all the time. I'm not asking for much, just try, please."  
  
Inu-yasha slowly nods. He turns his upper body around and stares at Kagome's eyes, "Kagome, why don't you want to be marked?"  
  
"I told you. I don't want."  
  
"Shit, that's a lie. Tell me the truth."  
  
Tears form in Kagome's eyes and she swallows hard, "Inu-yasha have you ever seen or heard anything about my father?"  
  
A confused Inu-yasha answers, "huh? No."  
  
"He left us, suddenly one night a couple months before Sota was born. I don't remember him, really. My mom has destroyed everything she can find in the house that mentions, shows and was owned by him. I think, grandfather might have a picture hidden, maybe, but otherwise he's not part of our lives."   
  
Kagome sighs. "I heard rumors from neighbors and a couple of comments from my mom and grandfather, so I know that. My mother and my father did not get along."   
  
She pauses and says, "Looking back at it now, it was a good thing that he left. It allowed my mom to raise Sota and I without having to fight her husband. So, Sota and I, at least had a mother to raise us. Not like a couple of my friends whose parents are two people that hate each other, but since they're not going to embarrass their families they will not divorce. They argue over how to raise kids all the time. That's a mess, and my friends have paid for it."   
  
Kagome sighs, "Not that the adults will ever admit it, it's always the kids fault."   
  
Kagome reaches out and grabs the necklace around Inu-yasha's neck. "I'm afraid, Inu-yasha. I'm afraid that if you decide to live with me and we are joined by some magical mark, I'm afraid, you'll change your mind and want to leave, but can't because of a mistake we made . . . " tears starts to fall down Kagome's checks.   
  
"I just want you to be happy, even if that means leaving me." She finishes speaking in a whisper so low only Inu-yasha tremendous hearing could make out the words.  
  
Inu-yasha reaches out and grabs Kagome and hugs her. "Kagome, I . . . "  
  
"Don't say a thing, just hug me . . . "  
  
They hug each other as Kagome wipes the tears away in Inu-yasha's hair.  
  
Kagome whispers, "you know I have nightmares."  
  
Inu-yasha nods.   
  
Every member of the group has nightmares. They never talk about it, but they happen. Sango has them about her father and brother, Miroku and his hand. Shippo whines about his father and mother at night.  
  
"MY worst nightmare, Inu-yasha, is everything is perfect. The jewel is rebuilt, Kikyo and Naraku are at peace," Kagome's mouth twitches into a semi-smile.   
  
"I've even removed this." She runs Inu-yasha necklace through her fingers.   
  
"We're about to jump into the well, to go back home and tell my mother, that her dream about you and me is about to come true."   
  
Kagome pauses, "Then . . . then. We jump through the well. And only I get through it."  
  
Tears fall.   
  
Inu-yasha presses Kagome closer to him.   
  
"That's why, Inu-yasha, I don't remove this" her fingers leave the necklace. "That's another reason why I don't want to be marked. The well is a magical thing. And adding or taking away any magic between us could change it."  
  
Kagome buries her face in Inu-yasha's hair and whispers, "I don't want to do anything to lose you."  
  
Inu-yasha whispers, "I don't want to lose you, either."  
  
"You mean that?"  
  
"Yes, Kagome."  
  
A pause.   
  
"Kagome, could you lighten up a bit, my ribs are about to break." Inu-yasha whispers.  
  
"Sorry." Kagome loosens her hug.  
  
Inu-yasha looks away from Kagome, and whispers, "I want to know something else."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why this?" inu-yasha wiggles his hand between them and touches her groin. "You've never acted as if, this" He presses his hand against her. "Was important, why the change?"  
  
Kagome blushes and moves her hand over Inu-yasha's. "Because I loved the night of the festival." Her mouth twitches, "even if I hurt the next day. Maybe Miroku's suggestions have gotten to me." Inu-yasha growls.  
  
"One of these days I'll cut off that hand of his." Inu-yasha growls.   
  
"Inu-yasha! Don't you dare!" Kagome says.  
  
Inu-yasha says, "Feh. It might be the only way to save his life, bitch."  
  
Kagome blinks in surprise. "Yes, it might. I wonder if he's thought about it?"  
  
Inu-yasha shrugs, "Don't know. It's not needed right now, so I haven't really thought about it." He presses his hand against her again. "You still haven't told me the truth."  
  
Kagome sighs, and says, "My brother reads a lot of manga." She sees the confusion in Inu-yasha's face and adds, "It's storytelling, OK." Inu-yasha nods.   
  
"He used to just be interested in manga that was full of fighting."   
  
"I thought he was a good kid." Inu-yasha mumbles.  
  
"Inu-yasha! Humph. Anyway, ever since you started coming over, he's started reading romance mangas."  
  
"So."  
  
"So, every time I come back crying or angry because of you, he shows me stories from the manga that are similar to ours."  
  
"What! Somebody from the future is telling you what's going to happen?" Inu-yasha yells!  
  
"No! No! Inu-yasha. Just stories of a boy and girl and them getting together, even though thing's stand in their way."  
  
"Feh. But why the change?"  
  
"Because in most of them, after the boy and girl" she blushes, "do what we did, everything works out beautifully." She finishes in a whisper. "And I was hoping that maybe, just maybe, it might work the same with us."  
  
A pause while Inu-yasha tries to determine how he's suppose to reach to that.  
  
Kagome bends over, and with her mouth brushing against his ear, she whispers, "and because you enjoyed what we did also, and I thought you'd want to do it again."   
  
Inu-yasha shivers, "I do." He closes his eyes, "But I can't, Kagome."  
  
"Naraku?"  
  
Inu-yasha nods.  
  
Kagome sighs and pushes him away from her. They separate, but only by a few centimeters. Any more and one of them will fall out of the tree.  
  
"I think you're wrong about keeping us apart because of him, Inu-yasha." He growls. "But, I'm not going to force you to something you don't want to do."  
  
She sighs heavily, "So, no matter what I do or feel for you, and no matter what you do or feel for me, we can't get close until Naraku is dead."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
A pause. "Could you, please help me down, Inu-yasha? I want to go through the well."  
  
"Through the well! I thought you were staying on this side!" Inu-yasha yells at her.  
  
Kagome glares at Inu-yasha. "I'm going to call my friend Tendo Akane and have her teach me some self-defense and combat moves." She breathes deeply, "I'm tried of being the girl you have to protect all the time, it's time I learned some things."  
  
"Combat training?"  
  
"Yes. You remember Ranma and Akane, right?"  
  
"Yeah." Inu-yasha scratches his head. "Just her?"  
  
"Yes. I have no intention of getting caught up in Ranma's mess."  
  
"How long?"  
  
Kagome shrugs, "This time, probably only a couple of hours. Just so we can talk and set up some sort of schedule, not that we'll be able to maintain it, given the confusion in our lives, but, Akane and I will try. Later on, I probably will have to stay after school more often, so she and I can spar." Kagome blinks, "you know, I wonder, would Sango be interested in learning some techniques?"  
  
Inu-yasha says, "Miroku and you need them more."  
  
"You are probably right. But I'll ask and see what I can bring through the well."  
  
"If it's just for a couple of hours, and you are just doing this to help with the hunt for the shards, then ok." Inu-yasha with very visible reluctance says.  
  
Kagome bends over and gives him a quick peck to the check. "Thank you, Inu-yasha." She blushes.  
  
He blushes, "Don't do that! WE can't be friends!"  
  
Kagome sighs, "Will you help me down?"  
  
"Feh. What I said earlier . . . you can get down on your own." Inu-yasha says after a slight pause.  
  
"Inu-yasha. You stubborn." Kagome takes a deep breath and lets it out and starts to climb down the tree.  
  
Kagome thinks, 'Even if we aren't going to do what Keade said, this is still a day I want to remember. We've never had as long or as good a conservation as that. Hopefully, next time, I can ask him a couple of questions. Perhaps I might even ask about his nightmare.'   
  
Kagome shivers as she remembers the last time Inu-yasha was human and he woke up from a nightmare screaming 'not the cage!'   
  
Kagome thinks as she climbs down the tree. 'Now to call Akane and learn how to defend myself. We've wasted enough time with Naraku and Kikyo. What was that phrase I heard when I was listening to Sota go on about American football. Oh, the best defense is a good offensive. It's time to see if that's true.'  
  
  
  
'Damn that was close . . . ' Inu-yasha looks down on Kagome as she climbs down the tree. 'If she'd have felt my groin . . . I don't think I would have been able to stop myself. And we can't do that. Not now.' He adjusts the clothing in front of his groin.   
  
He looks around, 'she was right, though. Where else would we have privacy?' he shakes his head, 'stop thinking about that. Think about how to torture Naraku to death.'  
  
___________________________  
  
The end  
  
Hmmm . . . For readers that might think I'm going slow with the groups relationships . . . This is Rumiko Takahashi's fourth major series. In only 1 series, Maison Ikkoku, did the major characters actually get married. (And that took years of soap opera before they received their happily ever after ending.)   
  
So . . . a few new points in the groups relationships with each other, but nothing major.   
  
Sango, if it's under her control, will accept a physical relationship with Miroku. Of course, Miroku is going to keep pushing, so.. He'll still get slapped. Inu-yasha is still using Naraku and the quest as an excuse not to do anything with Kagome. Kagome . . . well . . . She's beginning to get tried of the wait and when that happens you try new things . . .   
  
The next Spring Fertility festival spin-off will be either Kagome & some village girls talking about husbands, or something else. But I want to do the next A shard in Kyoto chapter. Then . . . we'll see . . .   
  
For writers that might want to write lemons, but not use the obvious terms, here a few different terms . . .   
  
[Technical meaning Literal translation  
  
Cervix Inner Gate, Jade Terrace, Precious Pearl, Seed,   
  
Yin Bean  
  
Clitoris (frenulum of) Lute strings  
  
Clitoris (prepuce of) Divine Field  
  
Cunnilingus Sipping the Vast Spring  
  
Fellatio Blowing the Flute  
  
Intercourse Clouds and Rain, Firing the Cannon, Friendly   
  
Relations  
  
Homosexual sex (female) Rubbing Mirrors  
  
Homosexual sex (male) Splitting the Peach, Dragon Yang   
  
Relations  
  
Labia minor Wheat Buds, Red Pearls  
  
Mound of Venus (mon veneris) Sedge Hill  
  
Orgasm (female) High Tide, Tide of Yin  
  
Orgasm (male) Lose Essence, Leak, Surrender, Die  
  
Penis Jade Stem, Jade Implement, Yang Peak, Yang Weapon, Turtle Head, The Ambassador  
  
Penis (erect) Arisen, Angry  
  
Penis (flacid) Dead  
  
Urethral orifice (female) Vast Spring  
  
Urethral orifice (male) Gate of Life and Death  
  
Vagina (orifice) Jade Gate, Jade Door, Cinnabar Cave,   
  
Child Gate, One Inch Square  
  
Vagina (lower vestibule) Little Stream  
  
Vagina (middle) Deep Valley, Hing Place, Path of Yin  
  
Vagina (upper) Celestial Palace, Valley of Solitude  
  
Vulva (upper) Golden Gully  
  
Vulva (lower) Jade Vein  
  
Uterus Child Palace, North Pole, Vermillion Chamber]  
  
thank you for reading  
  
jeff shelton 


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